Putting on a brave face
by live-in-dreamland1
Summary: Troy stopped being Gabriella's friend once all the popularity got to his head. What will it take for Troy to realise his mistake? Troyella!


Gabriella Montez was sitting in her English class trying to block out the voices of Troy Bolton and his basketball buddies. Gabriella knew that she had to stop herself from being stressed but it was pretty hard.

"Gabriella Montez?" Mrs Mason called

"Yes?"

"Would you please recite your song to the class"

"Yes Mrs Mason" Gabriella said as she slowly stood up. She tried to ignore the sharp pain in her side as she walked to the front. As Gabriella was walking she suddenly tripped over a foot that was stuck out. As Gabriella fell to the floor the entire class erupted in laughter. Gabriella was lying on the floor breathing heavily and clutching her side. Her friend Sharpay Evans quickly rushed to her side while the laughter died down wondering what was wrong.

"Gabriella?" Sharpay called out worriedly. Gabriella had her eyes shut tightly as she clutched her side.

"Hey everyone" called out Troy Bolton. "I think that Gabriella is going to cry" he sneered.

"Not in front of you Bolton" Gabriella said while Sharpay helped her up.

"Are you ok Ms Montez?" Mrs Mason asked.

"I'm fine" Gabriella said as she walked to the front of the glass. As Gabriella was reading out her song Troy couldn't help but notice that Gabriella was getting very pale.

"_All I want to do is stand close to you..."_ Gabriella could not continue as she felt a searing pain attack her body. The whole class was watching her earnestly

"Sharpay" Gabriella called out through gritted teeth. Gabriella could feel her eyes start to water as the pain was becoming too much to bear.

Troy was looking on thinking that the whole thing was a stunt to get out of class but when Troy saw her eyes watering and the look of pain on her face he knew something was wrong.

"Gabriella what's wrong?"

"It hurts Shar" Gabriella said while the tear started to fall

"Can someone go and get the nurse?" Sharpay asked.

"Mr Bolton, go quickly" Mrs Mason said. Troy bolted out of his seat and ran towards the nurse. "Ms Evans, what's wrong with her?" Sharpay looked at Gabriella before explaining.

"A few years ago Gabriella had to have her appendix removed but there were complications. We don't know what's wrong but the wound under too much stress starts to weep or if it's really bad it starts to bleed. The doctors are worried that if they don't find a cure soon, she could bleed to death" Sharpay said as her eyes began to glisten over. Troy came back quickly with the nurse in tow. As soon as she saw Gabriella her eyes went wide and she rushed to her side.

"Gabby dear, I'm going to need you to lift your top for me?"

"Why does she have to do it in here?" Chad Danforth asked. The nurse, Mrs White looked at Chad.

"If we move her, there is a chance that she could bleed or weep even more with the movement and we don't want that to happen."

"Would you like the class to leave for now?" Mrs Mason. Mrs White shook her head.

"This will only take a minute." Mrs White said while helping Gabriella slowly lift up her top. Half the glass gasped when the saw the massive scar on her side plus multiple ones across her stomach. Sharpay's eyes went wide.

"Gabriella, where did you get those other scars?" Gabriella dropped her gaze to the floor. The class was listening in earnestly wanting to know what was happening.

"Gabriella sweetie I need you to tell me where you got those scars" Mrs White said. Tear were now streaming down Gabriella face.  
"My father" she said in a quiet whisper

"I'm sorry what was that?" Mrs White asked. Gabriella sighed before saying it again.

"My father" Gabriella said as the whole class gasped.

"Mrs White she's starting to bleed!" Sharpay exclaimed. Mrs White looked at Gabriella's scar and saw that it was starting to bleed a little bit.

"Will someone please call an ambulance" Mrs White exclaimed while wrapping a bandage are Gabriella's middle to compress the bleeding.

The ambulance arrived quickly and they were walking Gabriella outside.

"Sharpay" Gabriella called out weakly

"Yes sweetie" Sharpay said while a few tears escaped her eyes.

"Can you please tell Troy that I'm sorry for whatever I did to make him hate me and thank you Shar for everything" Gabriella said before slipping unconscious. The paramedics pushed Sharpay out of the way as the put Gabriella into the ambulance. As the ambulance was driving away, Troy came up behind Sharpay.

"She's going to alright isn't she?" Troy asked with worry in his voice. Sharpay sighed

"I don't know Troy, I really don't know" Sharpay said while she broke down in sobs. Troy pulled her into a hug. As Sharpay pulled away she looked Troy in the eye.

"Gabriella had a message she wanted me to give you"

"Really?"

Yeah. She said that she's sorry for whatever she did to you to make you hate her"

"What?"

"Troy do you know that I often find Gabriella crying saying that she thinks it's her fault that you two stopped being friends. I don't get it, you two used to be best friends. What happened?"

"Basketball and my dad is what happened" Troy said while pulling out his keys.

"Where are you going?"

"We are going to the hospital" Troy exclaimed as he grabbed Sharpay by the wrist and began pulling her towards his car.

An hour later Troy was waiting outside Gabriella's room while Sharpay was talking to her

"They said they found the cause of the bleeding after looking at the X-rays" Gabriella said.

"What is it?"

"Apparently one of the surgeons who was with me when they took out my appendix left one of their tools inside me and it has infected something"

"WHAT?!"

"Shar it's ok"

"But Gabby..."

"Seriously Shar...how did you get here anyway, you don't have a car"

"Oh yeah, Troy drove me"

"T..Troy?"

"Yea. You should let him talk to you Gabby"

"But."

"No buts. I'm sending him in here now" Sharpay said as she walked towards the door. She walked out and a few moments later Troy walked in.

"Hey Brie" he said.

"You haven't called me Brie in a long time" Gabriella said while looking down at her hands.

"I know. It has been a long time hasn't it?" Troy said with a smile.

"What happened Troy?" Gabriella asked looking Troy in the eye. Troy sighed before answering.

"The reputation and the popularity just got to my head. Everyone convinced me that I could only be friends with either the basketball team or the cheerleaders and over time I believed them. My dad didn't make it any better either. He threatened to move me into another school if I didn't stop talking to you and improving my game. "

"So that made it alright to just block me from your life entirely?"

"No and I'm sorry about that. If I had the chance I would take it all back" Gabriella looked at him and saw that he was telling the truth. "Can I have a second chance?" Gabriella seemed to think a moment. She knew that she would be happier to have Troy back in her life but she couldn't bear to have her heart broken again.

"You can but on two conditions"

"Name it"

"If something is bothering you I want you to be able to tell me and two..." Gabriella trailed off.

"What?"

"I don't want to get my heart broken again" Gabriella said as she lowered her head. She felt movement on the bed but didn't look up.

"Gabriella, look at me" Troy said. Gabriella reluctantly raised her head to meet Troy's eyes.

"I made a mistake once. I don't plan on doing it again"

"Promise?"

"Here's my promise" Troy said before he leaned in and kissed Gabriella. When Troy pulled away Gabriella smiled.

"What are you smiling at?"

"Took you long enough" Gabriella said. Troy looked confused. Gabriella laughed before pulling Troy back for another kiss.

"Gabs would you like anything to..." Sharpay trailed off as she saw Gabriella and Troy kissing. They quickly broke apart.

"Well I see you two made up" Sharpay said with a smirk.

"Can I ask you something Brie?" Troy asked nervously

"Anything"

"Would you be my girlfriend?" Gabriella was about to answer but a loud squeal from Sharpay made both Troy and Gabriella look at her. Sharpay saw both of them looking at her.

"Don't mind me" Sharpay said as she stepped out of the room.


End file.
